Beast Boy was Fine
by lilspaceboi
Summary: A series of one shots, sometimes related and sometimes unrelated, consisting mainly of angst and focusing on Beast Boy because Beast Boy is never anything but fine.
1. Fine I

The Titans could sometimes forget in their teasing that Beast Boy's powers were just as unstable and dangerous as Raven's. He might not have a demon for a father, but that did not mean there were no demons in his life. The boy's constant happiness and laughter hid the unrelenting rage and anger that constantly plagued him. He did not meditate to control his powers. He simply forced them down and prayed that he didn't crack. He would hold out that maybe he wouldn't go other the edge today because while they were willing to assist Raven with her problems, if he acted out, he was threatened to be locked up like some common villain. No, Beast Boy wasn't allowed to be anything than a gullible child whose only purpose was to make others look better. He had to remain mediocre or the others would fall to pieces. And if that was the role he was to play, he would play it to the curtain call. He would be the joker, the prankster, the weakest, and that would be fine by him. Yes, that was fine.

Until it wasn't.


	2. Fine II: Warning Signs

**The first warning sign should have been when Beast Boy willingly asked to stay home from the trip.**

It was the first holiday they'd had in months and Beast Boy, who had practically been begging for a holiday, asked to stay home. However, he expertly averted suspicion by saying he was thinking of visiting the Doom Patrol as it had been ages since he had last seen them. So, they thought nothing of it.

* * *

 **The second warning sign should have hit when Beast Boy didn't contact them for the trip.**

He was silent in the group chat, not even reading the messages. There were no phone calls or photos of him messing about with the Doom Patrol. They convinced themselves that he was just busy or having so much fun that he hadn't thought to look at his phone. So, again, they missed the sign.

* * *

 **The third warning sign should have arrived when they got home after their holiday to find the tower immaculate.**

Sure, Beast Boy had visited the Doom Patrol, but he would have at least spent a couple days at the tower. However, it looked as though nothing had even been touched: not his video games or his tofu. They told themselves that he must have left straight after they did and that he must just be in the bathroom or his bedroom. So, they passed it off.

* * *

 **The fourth warning sign should have struck when Beast Boy wasn't at the tower.**

There were no signs of him in Cyborg's scanner. They told themselves it was fine and that he must be out getting lunch or on his way back from the Doom Patrol. It wasn't unlike Beast Boy to be late coming home or to be too lazy to cook. So, they avoided the fourth warning sign.

* * *

 **The fifth warning sign should have risen when Beast Boy didn't come home that day.**

They told themselves that he probably forgot what day it was and hadn't realised he need to come back to the tower yet. They left him a couple messages reminding him that he was due back at the tower and to get his but back her. So, they waved it off.

* * *

 **The sixth warning sign was the final one.**

It occurred the following morning, when Cyborg, forgetting Beast Boy wasn't home yet, went to wake him for breakfast. When he opened the door to Beast Boy's room, he found it bare of his belongings. It was the cleanest it had ever been. All that remained of Beast Boy's presence was a note.

* * *

 **The Titans collapsed.**


	3. Fine III: Without Beast Boy

Without Beast Boy, Cyborg felt himself losing his humanity. With each passing day, he felt himself becoming more of a machine. He was less empathetic to the other members problems and he found himself focusing more on upgrades. He found himself unable to find humour in another's jokes, unable to find himself to get angry at Robin's leadership, unable to feel sad about making a child cry in passing. No, Cyborg was a hollow shell. He was nothing more than a robot.

Without Beast Boy, Robin found himself forgetting more and more about having a life outside of work. He found himself constantly in his office researching villains as much as possible and if he wasn't he was training or chasing down another lead on a villain. He barely ate and barely slept. He had no life outside of work. He viewed the team more and more like pawns. There was no one to remind him that he was allowed to have a break and simply be a teen

Without Beast Boy, Raven stopped hanging out with the others as there was no one around to force her to leave her room. She spent more and more time meditating and reading yet it did nothing to ease her mind. She found herself feeling more unstable with each passing minute. She would snap at the simplest inconvenience and was more scared of herself and her powers. She couldn't bring herself to interact with the others as no one was there to remind her that she wasn't an outcast. That she was wanted.

Without Beast Boy, Starfire's powers didn't work like they used to. How could she believe that she could bring justice when she'd had a hand in the biggest injustice she had ever seen? She couldn't bring herself to feel confident when she didn't have Beast Boy around to encourage her to invite everyone to join her. She couldn't bring herself to feel like a hero when she had been unable to help the boy she saw as a little brother. She had no one to tell her that she was helpful because everyone else had left her alone.

 **Without Beast Boy, the Titans were no more than a group of strangers.**

* * *

Without the Titans, Beast Boy was free to break down and cry whenever he wanted to. He didn't have to hide behind masks of fake smiles with too wide a grin. Beast Boy was allowed to let out his anger on the villains that used to tease him and call him the weak link. No one mocked him anymore or took their anger out on them. He no longer had a home to return to, but he was able to convince himself that was ok. It didn't matter that he was left to face the harsh cold of winter or that he had to dig through bins just to find a pinch of food or that he had to rely on puddles to quench his thirst. No none of that mattered because he was free and he was fine.

 **Without the Titans, Beast Boy told himself he was fine.**


	4. Fine IV: Without the Titans

There were aspects of being alone that Beast Boy didn't enjoy; he was left to deal with his thoughts. He knew he could go to the Doom Patrol if he wanted or even, dare he think of it, back to the Titans, but he didn't want to. He knew that he would tire of pretending too quickly. He would grow sick of Mento's attitude towards missions where the lives of his team don't matter as long as they are successful in their task. He would bore of Elasti-Girl's overbearing nature of how she would treat him like a little kid with no knowledge of the world.

So, he didn't go back to anything. He lingered on the streets. Rough sleeping on the streets he used to patrol. Wearing masks to keep his identity hidden because he knew full well that his skin colour was a giveaway. He rummaged through bins, occasionally finding a carrot stick or mouldy lettuce that someone hadn't eaten. Shifting into a mouse, he would drink from puddles. He could feel a sickness in his bones, in his mind, that had been a long time coming.

He wasn't a criminal. He never stole anything. He only hurt villains, leaving them unconscious for the police or the Titans to deal with. Initially, he had wanted to leave them tied up, but with such limited resources that wasn't an option. He lingered in shadows, only pouncing when the Titans were late in showing up. He was gone long before any of his former teammates, former family, could arrive.

He couldn't keep this up forever. He was barely managing now. He was constantly plagued by constant headaches; his ribs constantly threatening to rip out of his skin whenever he shifted. His body was exhausted, even breathing felt like an effort. He found an alleyway to make his peace with the world. He watched people dash past, barely acknowledging his existence. Yes, Beast Boy would die quietly. Alone.

However, in what we expected to be his final moments, he was met by a familiar face. One which would make the Titans' taunts feel like child's play. He had nowhere to go and no way to escape. No one was coming to save him, he'd made sure of that by his own actions.

So, Beast Boy returned to being nothing more than a lab experiment.


	5. Fine V: Goodbye

With the knowledge that the Titans are mere days from disbanding, after continuing for 5 years since Beast Boy's disappearance, Cyborg reads the note Beast Boy left:

 _Yo, I'm leaving._

 _These past few years as a member of the Teen Titans have been some of the best moments of my life, but I'm tired. I'm so tired. Everyday feels like an effort just to keep smiling and none of you even care anyway. To you, I am nothing more than a burden, a pawn for you to take your repressed feelings out on. And that was fine. For years, I could take the words and the hits. I could deal with the bruises, the cuts and the broken bones. But, I'm tired. I got a monster in my brain, threatening to overthrow me and with each new insult, it grows stronger. So, I'm leaving because I don't want to hurt you._

 _To Robin,_

 _I'm sorry that I was such a child. It was a struggle to focus on your plans when there were so many animals inside me screaming to follow my instincts. I know it made it hard for you. Now, you should be able to fulfil your missions without worrying about me screwing it up. I'm sorry that you'll have to deal with the media following my disappearance._

 _To Starfire,_

 _Sweet Starfire. How I'll miss you so dearly. You were like an older sister to me. I know you'll struggle to understand this, but it's for the best. I'm leaving ok, Star? Don't count on me coming back. You were kind to me, but you need to learn that it's ok to disagree with Robin. When, Robin was planning to send me to prison, you just stood by and watched. That hurt. I thought you of all people would always have my back, but it shouldn't surprise me to be wrong. I'm an idiot after all. I'm sorry for all the tears you'll likely cry over this and if you don't cry, that's fine too. You should know I'm not worth the effort._

 _To Raven,_

 _We didn't always see eye to eye, but I hope you know that I always saw you as one of us. I guess it was me who was the outcast. I'm sorry for annoying you so often. I did it with good intentions though. I guess I shouldn't blame you for constantly throwing me out windows, even though it did leave bruises and scars. Don't be scared of the monster inside you, just be aware of its existence. I hope you'll be able to live peacefully from now on._

 _To my best friend in the world, Cyborg,_

 _I know you never wished for your powers, but I'm so glad you got them otherwise I would never have met you. I'm gonna miss you so much. I hope you keep playing video games. Maybe drag Raven to join you occasionally. I hope you continue to upgrade your car and make it even cooler. I know it hurts when your appearance causes children to cry or scream in fear, but remember, you are an inspiration to kids everywhere who feel that they are less than because of their disabilities. I'm sorry I could never enjoy the meals you cook. It just hurts to much to eat meat. It causes so much chaos in my mind that I couldn't deal with it. I'm sorry that I sometimes felt like I wasn't good enough to be your best friend or sometimes felt like you considered Robin more your best friend than me. I'm sorry that my DNA was so hard to deal with. You have no idea how much I'll miss you, but I can't stay. I love you so much, Vic. I hope you know that._

 _I'm sorry. I'll never forget my time with you as Beast Boy the Teen Titan._

 _Garfield Logan_


	6. Fine VI: When Will It End?

**DimitraMitsos - *stabbing Beast Boy* Yeah, I'm sure it'll all be fine. *shooting the rest of the Titans* I mean how much worse can it get? Thank you for reading. I make no promises on how it ends.**

 **Eris (Guest) - Always. I'll try not to be too slow on updates, but I'm pretty lazy. Thank you for reading.**

* * *

Robin would be the first to leave. He was going to quit being a superhero and become a cop. He knew he would never be able to stop helping people, but he couldn't bear the weight of the mask anymore. He was becoming toxic and he knew if he continued, he would only hurt people. He still hadn't forgotten how he'd tracked someone down who had been seen with Beast Boy and beaten him for information to within an inch of his life. The lead was cold, but Robin couldn't forget how angry he'd been in that moment. He couldn't continue this way.

Cyborg would follow soon after. He'd been offered a job on the Justice League and seen no reason to reject with the Titans in pieces. He couldn't get a normal job with his powers and his enemies would never stop hunting him down; he didn't have a mask to hide behind. Deep down, Cyborg hoped that he would be able to find himself again with a new team to guide him. He knew it was a pointless aim to hold as the Justice League didn't have the same sense of family as the Titans, but he had to try. He wanted to feel again.

Starfire would return to her planet. She needed to regain control of her powers and she knew the best place to do that would be on her home world where there wouldn't be as many memories reminding her of what she had lost. It would be hopeless, of course, as she couldn't forget no matter what. No matter what she did, what happened would plague her. She would have dreams of Beast Boy's laughter surrounding her, but she could never find the source. She just wanted to forget her sadness.

Raven would travel to somewhere she could be alone. She couldn't stay here, not with how dangerous her powers had become in the past years. Her emotions had remained in disarray since he'd left them and she couldn't even bring herself to attempt to rein them in as she wasn't sure she would come out with any control. Somewhere alone where she couldn't hurt anyone would suit her just fine. Then, she would be free to suffer with her thoughts as much as possible. She just wanted to stop hurting.

And that was the plan, until there was a knock on the door.


	7. Fine VII: It's Not Fine

**I hate writing dialogue.**

 **Supergeek1810 - You're about to find out. Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

* * *

When Robin opened the door, he saw the last person he ever expected to see stood there. He was left stood with his jaw hanging open. He simply stepped back allowing them to step by into the tower. He stood there even as Cyborg came down to see what was taking him so long, even as Cyborg stopped mid question to stare, even as Raven and Starfire joined them to see who would be there, even as a light bulb burst as Raven realised who it was, even as Starfire began to cry. Robin didn't snap out of it until the door was blown shut.

"What the fuck?" Robin's voice was loud, but it simply held confusion and shock. However, he didn't miss the flinch that it caused.

"Sorry." Beast Boy mumbled. "I heard the Titans were disbanding so I came to officially say goodbye." His words were slow and calculated, cracking with every syllable.

"What happened?" Cyborg asked. "Why are you covered in blood?" Beast Boy looked to each member in turn, examining their appearance, before looking down and just shaking his head.

"Doesn't matter." Beast Boy grabbed his bag.

"You're covered in blood, Beast Boy." Robin's 'leader' voice took over. "It matters."

Beast Boy shook his head. "I can't." He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I can't. I just can't." His vision was becoming more distant.

"Beast Boy." Raven cut in, snapping Beast Boy's eyes up to her's. "Breath. Do you want to go change?" Beast Boy quickly nodded. "Robin lend him some clothes." Robin looked confused, but didn't argue.

"It's fine." Beast Boy waved them off. "I have spare clothes."

"Then why didn't you-" Robin started.

"Didn't think to."

When he had disappeared up the stairs to go change, the others had time to process what the hell had just happened. The first few moments were spent silent with everyone processing. Their old teammate had just showed up covered in blood after disappearing for 5 years with the only explanation being that he came to say goodbye. Starfire's sobbing was beginning to subside now being placed with a newfound concern. Robin had begun to pace back and forth, trying to process what could have happened. Raven was meditating, knowing she would need it for what was coming. Cyborg was left to process what had just happened after feeling more emotion than he'd felt in years.

However, they all felt just as unprepared when Beast Boy came downstairs. He'd been wearing a baggy hoodie and tracksuit bottoms when he arrived, but now he was wearing his old superhero outfit. It was too short for him now, revealing green skin, but it still fit around his hips and chest, showing off a too thin waist and too sharp hips. He was barefoot and his hands were showing, which none of them had noticed earlier. It was a rare site, even in his Titans days, he never showed more skin than his face. It wasn't hard to discover why he did so. His skin was a canvas of scars, fresh and old, inflicted by different means. The others had their fair share of scars, but compared to Beast Boy it felt like their skin was smooth. He was taller now, even beginning to tower over Robin. It was easier to focus on without the blood on his clothes. His hair was a lot longer, matted in places with what they assumed was dried blood in places.

"Sorry, it was the only clean outfit I had." Beast Boy noticed their gazes.

"You could have borrowed something." Robin sighed.

Beast Boy shook his head. "That would have meant finding you again."

Robin would have responded, but he was interrupted by Starfire engulfing Beast Boy in a hug. "I am sorry. I am so sorry."

Beast Boy stood there, as though unsure of what to do with his hands. "Your hugs are as tight as ever, Star."

Starfire backed up. "I am sorry."

He waved her off. "I've had worse."

"Why did you leave?" Cyborg cut in.

"I told you."

"No, you left us a note."

"I-" Beast Boy paused, rubbing his forehead. "I didn't want to hurt any of you. I could feel the beast getting stronger and I didn't - I couldn't risk it."

"You could have told us." Raven's voice rose accidentally, causing a window to smash. "We could have helped you."

"The last time I posed a risk to anyone's safety, Robin threatened to arrest me."

"What?" Raven questioned. "When did that happen?"

"It's my fault." Robin cut in. "At the time, I thought he'd hurt you Raven and I didn't want to risk everyone else's lives. I should have realised that he would never hurt any of us. I should have been willing to help him like I helped you, but I was an idiot. I'm sorry, Beast Boy. God, I'm so sorry."

"You mean to tell me that you would have rather put him in prison than help our teammate, our friend, regain control of his powers." Raven snapped.

"Don't act so innocent, Raven." Beast Boy halted her increasing anger. "You threw me out of windows. It was fine to you as I could transform and fly back, but you forgot about the glass. Every time, you forgot about the glass. I just wanted to make sure you felt included because I thought that was what you deserved."

"I'm sorry, Beast Boy." Raven whispered. "I knew you did everything with good intentions, but it was always so overwhelming and I was scared that if I opened up that I would hurt you all. It only ended up hurting you though. I should have been able to sense it hurts. I'm an empath for Azaar's sake. All I felt was the same wave of happiness that I always felt though. You always were so hard to read and I should have made more of an effort to go beyond my powers to ask."

"Regardless, people don't just throw other people out of windows." He noticed Starfire out of the corner of his eye. "And you - you just stood by and watched every time they did something. You would watch Raven throw me out windows. You agreed when Robin threatened to arrest me."

"I am sorry, Beast Boy. I should have spoken up when I saw how you were treated. I did not notice you were in pain when I should have." Starfire looked down.

"And Cyborg." Beast Boy turned to the final Titan. "You knew how I felt. I told you more than I told anyone anything and you still did nothing. You tossed my beliefs aside like they were nothing and you gave up on me. You thought my DNA was falling apart and you just gave up."

"I'm sorry. I should have been there for you. I left you alone even though I knew that it was what you feared most. We were both so similar, yet I always treated you like a kid."

"I trusted all of you to help me and yet you all treated me like your - your - YOUR FUCKING PET." Beast Boy grabbed his head. "Shit, I need to leave." He moved towards the door, but Robin grabbed him. "Let me go. I don't want to hurt you."

"No. I failed you last time. I don't want to let you down again." Robin tightened his grip. "I want to help."

"You're about 8 years too late for that Robin. Now. Let. Me. Go." Beast Boy's voice deepened with every word to the point of being nearly a growl.

"Let us help you, Beast Boy." Raven added, putting her hand atop Robin's.

"Please." Starfire piped up.

"Come on, BB." Cyborg joined in.

"Will you all stop acting like you care? You never used to. Back then, it didn't matter how badly I hurt as long as all of you felt good. As long as your ego was intact." He looked at Robin. "As long as you had an outlet for your emotions." He turned to Raven. "As long as you felt smart." He shifted to Cyborg. "As long as you could continue being happy." He finished with Starfire. "I didn't matter. I was just a pawn for you all to feel good and I can't take it anymore. I'm tired of being just fine. I want to be happy."

"Garfield." Cyborg spoke. "I'm so sorry. I should have given you the love you deserved, but I want to. Shit, I can't do this alone. I can't feel human without someone to be human with and you're the most human person I know. And, I want to be able to show you that. I want to be able to show you just how normal you are. I want you to not feel alone anymore because God knows you deserve it. You deserve so much and I was such an idiot, but please, you can't keep going like this. I want to help you." He watched for a response. "Please."

Beast Boy shook his head. "I can't - I can't - you'll hurt me again. I know it. I can't deal with it again. I can't. Not again. Please, I can't take much more."

Cyborg moved in front of the others, replacing their hands. "Gar. Please. I miss you. I miss your quick wit and shameless puns. I miss you arguing with Robin that allowed us to have lives outside of work. I miss seeing you make Starfire smile and filling her with such confidence that her powers shone. I miss seeing you drag so much emotion out of Raven that allowed us to know the real Raven. I miss playing video games with you feeling like more than just a robot. I miss our little arguments and I miss how you'd drag me out of the lab if I had been working for too long. But, most of all, I just miss seeing you."

Beast Boy was crying. All the emotions he had bottled up were unleashing and he found himself clinging to Cyborg just to stay standing. "I'm not fine. I'm sorry. I'm not fine." He muttered.

"I know." Cyborg whispered. "And we should have realised." And Cyborg held him.

Beast Boy was not fine and he hadn't been for a long time.


	8. Illness

**Supergeek1810 - Mood. Thank you for reviewing**

 **This isn't a part of the 'Fine' series.**

* * *

He had never been cured. The disease that had nearly killed him as a child still ran through his body, but it is no longer capable of killing him. That doesn't mean it doesn't still occasionally affect him. His DNA is constantly mutating to avoid dying but that doesn't he isn't suffering. He never says anything when he wakes up feeling like he's about to die or when his head pounds so hard that his nose gushes or that his body temperature is constantly changing as it battles a fever or that sometimes he coughs so hard there's blood or that he sometimes can't stomach what he's eaten. Some days it's worse. Those days he lingers in bed as long as possible and hides out in his room after being roused. It's on these days that transforming is the most painful. He doesn't tell anyone though. He still blames himself afterall for crossing the boundary and letting himself get bitten in the first place. He's just thankful to be alive even if every moment is pure agony.


	9. Why is a Raven like a Writing Desk?

**"Because it can produce a few notes, though they are very flat; and it is nevar put with the wrong end in front." ~Lewis Carroll 1987**

 **Warning: Major Character Death**

* * *

He just had to take the blow for her. Deep down, she was grateful of course. The attack was coming from her blind spot and she wouldn't have put up a shield in time, but was the outcome worth it?

She let the darkness overtake her as she overpowered the villain until he was also on the brink of death. Immediately after, she turned to face Garfield. The only movement he had made was to collapse on the floor in pain. He was watching her though, a strained smile on his face. His hands were clutching his stomach or at least what was left of it. He would bleed out within minutes. She raced over to him, one hand sliding over his and the over moving to his back. It was useless to try and heal him, but she just couldn't. She couldn't let him die. He's only 15. He's barely had his first kiss. He has so much left to do. She can't let him die.

"You're awfully touchy today, Rae." He whispered.

"Shut up. It's not time for jokes." Raven cut him off. She'd let him joke all she wanted after this, if he made it through this.

"It's always the time for jokes." He laughed, but it was cut off by a groan. "Do you think I'll go to pet heaven or regular heaven?"

"Neither." Raven bit out, her hands beginning to coat in his blood. "Because. You. Are. Not. Going. To. Die. On. My. Watch."

"It's a shame. I still haven't beaten Cy at Mario Kart. You'll have to beat him for me. I can't let his ego get any bigger." His breathing was getting more ragged now.

Raven was getting desperate as she realised the wound wasn't getting any smaller. "You can't die. Come on. There's got to be something you can shift into. What about an amoeba? Huh? COME ON BEAST BOY! You can't die. Please. You just can't." Her eyes were beginning to water and she knew her powers were out of control, but all she cared about in this moment was saving him.

"I can't. It wasn't an ordinary blow. Guess I can't steal a life from a cat." He chuckled. He was wheezing, each word was slurred and stuttered over, yet he refused to let the pain show. He kept that same grin on his face.

"You have to try. Please. Beast Boy, you can't. You can't give up. You just can't. Please, Gar." She begged, openly crying. She pushed all her magic into healing him in a last attempt, but it was useless. The wound was still as open as when he was first hit.

"I always wondered why a Raven was like a writing desk." He mused. "Lewis Carroll was right, but he forgot about how both hold the thoughts of another." He smiled, gently. She frowned for a minute, confused, but then she felt it. All the thoughts he wanted to say flowing into her wrapping her in an embrace. All the pain he had suffered since the day he was born and all the love he has experienced and lost. He was so young, but he was already prepared for death. He could finally be with those he had loved and lost. He could finally hear his parent's voices again. He could ask Mento if he was proud of him. He could curl up next to Rita again and simply rest. He could joke around with Larry and Cliff again. He could finally be with Terra. He had lost so much, but in his final moments he was the one being lost yet found.

"Fuck. You can't die. We need you. I need you." Raven cried, hugging his body close to her. The other Teen Titans were beginning to come into view, having finished things on their side. They dashed over to them when they saw what was going on.

"Hey. Raven. I can't believe it took this for you to hug me so tightly."

And with that, he died with a gentle smile on his face.


	10. Heartbeat

**DimitraMitsos - Me, repeatedly stabbing Beast Boy: I'm sure he'll be fine.**

 **FanaticFangirl2602 - Mood.**

 **Yet another unrelated drabble. This one actually contains some fluff believe it or not!**

* * *

There was an early mission which was how they found out about another one of Beast Boy's quirks. Robin had received word of some dodgy business going down in the outskirts and was currently waking everyone up. He woke Starfire first. She was typically the hardest to waken as she slept like the dead. He had to enter her room and shake her awake. Raven was next. He couldn't tell whether Raven woke up quickly or she was already awake as she answered immediately after he knocked on her door. Beast Boy must have heard all the movement because he was awake before Robin had even moved from Raven's room, possibly even before then, but he didn't have time to question it. Cyborg was last. Cyborg was trickier to wake up as he would set his systems to standby when he slept. Robin had to enter Cyborg's room and type a code into his computer system, which Cyborg had helpfully provided him with when the team had first formed, to bring him out of standby mode.

That's when Robin heard it or more like sensed it. There was a low sound similar to a heartbeat. 'No', Robin corrected himself. It was a heartbeat. He knew it wasn't his and no one else was in the room with him, except Cyborg and he knew Cyborg didn't have a heartbeat. He paused, glancing round the room again. He knew no one else was in the room. The rest of the team was waiting in the lounge to be briefed and no other life signs were detected. He woke Cyborg quickly, entering the code. However, the moment he'd entered the code, the heartbeat stopped. Cyborg had been the source, but that didn't make sense.

"Robin?" Cyborg called out, his left eye flashing to life. "What's up?" He sat up slowly, his brain not quite as awake as his body yet.

"We have a mission." Robin stated, before shaking his head. "What was that noise?"

Cyborg got up, walking past Robin. "I'll explain later."

Satisfied, Robin nodded and followed Cyborg to the lounge. The team was assembled, albeit in varying states. Raven was as awake as usual. Robin could have done with a bucket of coffee, but would have to settle for a shot of espresso instead. Starfire was smiling through her constant yawning. Cyborg was alert despite the yawns, courtesy of his mechanical parts. Beast Boy was clearly tired and didn't bother hiding his disapproval at being awoken so early.

"Red X is rumoured to be making a deal in a couple hours. We believe it might be the tech he stole from S.T.A.R labs recently. However, we don't know who this buyer is yet which is why no alarms were raised. We need to intercept that deal, while also trying to get info on this buyer." Robin went on to describe the location the deal was supposed to happen. "Beast Boy will sneak in first. He'll gather as much info as possible and then report back. Cyborg will be in charge of hacking any systems to avoid alerting them to our presence and allow us to get as close as possible without alerting Red X or the buyer. Only once we know who the buyer is do we engage. When it comes to that, Raven will be in charge of getting the stolen goods out and away. Apprehend whoever you can, but especially aim to capture the buyer as they may be the representative of someone bigger. Is everyone clear?" There were various agreements, but everyone was ready. Robin smirked. "Titans go."

The mission begins with Cyborg hacking into the security systems from outside. He made sure he was prepared to loop any footage he needed as Beast Boy moved through each room. Robin was keeping track of where Beast Boy was so he could update Cyborg. Raven was prepared to get Beast Boy out at a moments notice. Starfire kept watch of outside, keeping watch for when the buyer arrived.

"Beast Boy to Robin. The place is swarmed with what I assume to be guards, but so far there's no sign of Red X or the buyer." Beast Boy reported.

"That's fine Beast Boy, it's still early. We'll alert you if we see anyone arrive. For now, stay hidden." Robin responded. He released his communicator. "So, what was that noise earlier?"

Cyborg frowned. "It's for BB."

"For Beast Boy?" Robin questioned.

"What noise is this?" Starfire inquired.

"I play a heartbeat during the night for Beast Boy. It puts him at ease." Cyborg explained.

"At ease? He's all the way on the other side of the tower, there's no way he could hear it. I could barely hear it while in the same room as you." Robin countered.

"Yeah, but BB's ears are a lot stronger than yours. He hears whatever goes down in the tower."

"Ok, but then how does it put him at ease?"

"It tells him that everyone's still alive. I don't need to play it in the day time because he knows someone will notice if I'm missing, but in the night, who knows what could happen. A heartbeat just lets him know I'm still there because he struggles to differentiate me from the rest of the tech in the tower when he's tired."

Robin frowned. He didn't have an answer to that. He was interrupted by the arrival of several dark vans. "Beast Boy to Robin. I just heard some vans pull up."

"Yeah. I've counted 16 people so far, all armed. Still no sign of Red X." Robin confirmed. "Be on guard. One of these could be the buyer."

"You know," Raven piped up. "That's some pretty amazing hearing for Beast Boy to have in his human form."

Cyborg nodded. "Yeah, gives him major migraines though."

"Headaches?" Robin queried. "How come I haven't heard about this before?"

"Because you're worst than a doting mother when any of us are ill and that would just make Beast Boy feel worse."

"I'm not." Robin protested.

"It is true that you are the most doting of the mothers." Starfire agreed.

Robin turned to Raven in a last defence method. "Sorry, Robin. I have to agree with Cyborg on this one. Starfire coughs and you're scolding her for not taking care of herself while making her chicken soup. The only time you don't turn into a doting mother is when Beast Boy catches a cold and that's only because we all know Beast Boy catches colds as often as Cyborg talks about his car."

"Exactly, Rob." Cyborg nodded. "Beast Boy gets migraines as often as he gets colds. He's basically a pro at dealing with them at this point."

"Still." Robin began. "Migraines are kind of worse than colds."

Before the argument could even begin, Beast Boy piped up on the communications. "The buyer's here and you won't believe who it is."

"Who?" Robin snapped to attention. "Cyborg, go over every camera. I want eyes on them if possible."

"Vandal Savage." Beast Boy drawled.

This perked Robin up even more. "He's back?"

"Yeah and Red X is here as well. I dunno how he got in." Beast Boy added.

"It's Red X what do you expect?" Cyborg piped up.

"Do you know where the tech is, Beast Boy?" Robin questioned.

"Yeah, look for the camera I'm about to cover and then turn that camera as right and down as possible." Beast Boy explained. He waited for the affirmative before following through on his idea. Cyborg watched and once camera 19 was covered, Cyborg began moving it. Beast Boy moved off to reveal the stolen tech in the corner.

"Well done, Beast Boy. Stay hidden, we'll be there in a second." Robin praised. "Raven, you're up."

Raven moved over examining the camera. "What room is this, Robin?"

"This one. Drop all of us near here and then you get the tech out of there." He pointed to a room on the map on the ground floor.

"Remember, you won't have a fast escape while I'm moving everything so be careful." And with that, everyone was teleported. The moment they arrived, they were immediately swarmed by guards. They acted as shields while Raven was in and out teleporting the goods.

"How far away are Vandal and Red X, Beast Boy?" Robin leapt over a guard, a bullet grazing past him.

"They're just down the hall on the right. There's a large room." Beast Boy explained, before shifting into a gorilla to knock over several guard.

"Starfire, could use a lift." Robin smirked as Starfire swooped down and flew him out of the room. "Be careful, guys."

Cyborg chuckled. "Leaves us behind with the boring job."

"I know right." Beast Boy added, laughing. "After all I've done for this mission."

"Yeah, you're gonna have fun when we get back to the tower." Cyborg smirked.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Cy."

"I might have let it slip that you occasionally get a migraine."

"Cyborg!" Beast Boy moaned. "He's never gonna stop babying me now!" Cyborg just laughed in response.

They were interrupted from bickering further by the reappearance of Raven. "Would you two focus? You can whine all you want once we're back at the tower."

"Sure, Rae. Give us a lift?" Beast Boy grinned, seeing Raven was done transporting the tech.

"Right." Raven leapt over several guards to get to Cyborg and Beast Boy. The moment she was near them, she let her powers teleport them to where Robin and Starfire was.

The sight they arrived to was chaotic. Red X and Vandal were both gone. Some of the guards were also taking the opportunity to flee now that their mission was over. Robin and Starfire were rounding up as many guards as possible.

"Cyborg." Robin immediately called out. "You got any more cuffs? I'm nearly out." The words were spoken in between blows and pants. Cyborg fumbled with a couple buttons on his arm, while Beast Boy took up his mantle of protecting him. It took him a few attempts to open the compartment as even with Beast Boy's protection, he had to dodge several blows. The moment he had the compartment open, he was charging to Robin's side.

"Let's do this." Cyborg grinned and the other's found themselves grinning as well.

Within minutes, all of the cuffs had been used up and a considerable amount of the guards had been captured. A lot had escaped and the mission was hardly a success, but that wasn't to say it was a total failure. Red X and Vandal managed to get away, but Raven had managed to secured all the stolen tech. Robin was annoyed they didn't catch either of the villains. However, they had round up a lot of the guards that had been hired and were able to pry a small amount of information from them. The biggest loss was that Robin was even more of a doting mother hen when it came to Beast Boy.

"Hey Beast Boy." Robin called out as Beast Boy approached the kitchen table. "How you feeling? Any migraines at all?"

"Yeah, I have this really large one called Robin." Beast Boy glared. "No. I'm fine for your information"

"Alright alright. I'm just checking on you." Robin relented.

Beast Boy turned his glare to Cyborg. "This is your fault you know." Cyborg shrank back.

Thankfully, Starfire was there to save the day. "I for one think it is the wonderful that friend Beast Boy finds the comfort in the sound of our heartbeat."

"Wait, you told them about that as well." Beast Boy went bright red.

"Woops." Cyborg rubbed the back of his neck, eyeing the door.

"I think it's sweet." Raven murmured from behind a mug of tea, only furthering Beast Boy's embarrassment.

"End me." Beast Boy added, leaning as far back as possible, and all was normal in the tower again.


	11. Of Bunk Beds and Mornings

**The reason Beast Boy has a bunk bed**

* * *

The first time Dick woke Garfield up, he found the boy under the bed. He didn't question it. He assumed Garfield had simply moved there in his sleep. However, the instance happened again. Every time Dick woke Garfield up he would find him under the bed. He still didn't question it. He knew that everyone was fighting their own battles, including himself, and he knew he wasn't close enough to Garfield to be privy to such information.

He did, however, suggest to Victor that they should make Garfield a bunk bed. When questioned about it, he stated it would be useful for sleepovers as young teens seemed to like that sort of thing. Victor dropped it after that and simply helped make a bunk bed for Garfield.

The next time Dick woke Garfield up, he found the boy on the bottom bunk. His back was firmly pressed against the wall and he was curled up tight, but it was an improvement. He still didn't question it. From then on, sometimes he would find Garfield asleep on the bottom bunk, even if some days he still found him under the bed.

Sometimes Dick would sleep in Garfield's room. He would always sleep on the top bunk, claiming he preferred it anyway. It was a lie, but Garfield didn't need to know that. On those days, Dick would always wake up to find Garfield on the bottom bunk.

One time Dick woke Garfield up, he found the boy on the top bunk. He woke up the instant Dick opened the door, watching warily, but Dick considered it progress nonetheless. He still didn't question it. It happened every now and again from then on, with the times Garfield was found under the bed becoming rare.

One day when Rachel woke up screaming from a nightmare, Dick's question was answered. She was embarrassed about waking up the rest of the team and Garfield reassured her by telling her he sometimes slept under the bed for security. He told them how after his parents died, he was taken in by his uncle who would hire assassins to try and kill him. He explained that he would make it look like he was asleep on the bed, while really he was asleep under the bed, to give him more time to evade the assassin.

The next time Dick slept in the same room as Garfield, he was on the bottom bunk while Garfield slept on the top bunk. He didn't question it. It felt strange to feel Garfield moving from above rather than beneath him. Garfield never slept under the bed now. Dick felt strangely proud that he'd come this far. They were both older now and anyone else would have felt silly still sleeping on a bunk bed, but Dick knew it was necessary.

However, relapses happen and times change. People come and go, and Terra was no different. Dick knew that they were close. During the time Terra had been with them, she and Garfield had nearly been inseparable. Dick had never seen Garfield so distraught, albeit he'd only know him a few years, until Terra fell and all that remained was a statue of her once lively form.

That night, Dick found Garfield under the bed. It was still the middle of the night, but Dick sensed he was needed. He lay under the bed next to Garfield and held him as he cried. For the first time, Dick asked Garfield if he wanted to talk about it, and Garfield spilled everything to him. Dick held him. He made no promises things would get better because he could not tell these such things. He did promise that there would be more good times to come as well as the bad times.

They stayed like that for the night, Dick holding Garfield in his arms. Dick was uncomfortable, but it was worth it to watch Garfield slowly relax in his arms. He allowed himself to think for a minute that he'd done that and it wasn't just exhaustion.

That morning, Koriand'r found Garfield and Dick under the bed.


End file.
